Everything Changes
by A. Synn
Summary: When he left for the WWE, she left for Japan. They didn't stay in touch because sometimes, it's easier to forget rather than forgive. Now, she's back. It's time to face the music, Punk. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Honestly, I don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** This is my first multi-chaptered fic, so hopefully it's okay. I'm still a newbie. I hope people enjoy this first chapter, and let me know what you thought in a review, please (:

Cheers (:

* * *

It takes her a moment to realize where she is.

She was standing backstage at a WWE house show.

When she blinked, she expected everything to change. She expected the scene to fall away and to instead see the whiteness of her ceiling and feel the comfort of her bed underneath her. After all, this must be a dream.

She glances to the side and watches as stage crew hurry past her, boxes in their hands, talking on their headsets. No, this wasn't a dream. She wasn't going to wake up and suddenly be back in Japan, she really was here. Working for the WWE.

Adrienne Haidar smiles widely as she begins to walk down the long hallway, weaving her way past the backstage workers. A few men look up at her, their eyes widening in appreciation, noticing that she was new. As she walks past them, she gives each one a sweet smile, enjoying the way they look taken aback that she noticed them.

After a while, she stops in front of an unmarked door. It's in front of the door to the stairwell, just like she was told. The women's locker room. Although she had legitimate reasons to feel nervous–she was after all going to come face to face with some of the best women in the industry–Adrienne didn't feel nervous. She wasn't an overly confident person, she wasn't egotistical or smug, but she did feel safe knowing that she was just as good as these women. She was just as good looking and she was just as talented–maybe even more talented than some.

Adrienne grips the strap of her gym bag tighter and without knocking, pushes the door open. She's met by an empty room.

Adrienne frowns slightly, she knew she was early but she didn't realize she was _this_ early. After her meeting with Stephanie, where the older woman had doubled checked that Adrienne was okay with starting out tonight against Maria, Adrienne had left the hotel and went straight to the stadium. It didn't take her long to find–she had never been to Cameron before so she was glad she hadn't got lost–but she didn't realize that she would be this early.

Making her way into the room, Adrienne set her bag down on the bench. She stares at the silver locker in front of her for a moment and wonders if she should get ready. Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she realizes that she has two hours until the show. Maybe she should have rested for a while before leaving the hotel.

Quickly deciding to do something besides stare at the lump of metal in front of her, Adrienne unzips her bag and shuffles the contents around until she can find one of the books she packed. Pulling out two books, she looks down at them, trying to decide what to read in order to pass the time.

The first book was a tattered pocket book copy of _Howl_. Her heart squeezes slightly when thoughts of who gave it to her filter into her mind. No, she wouldn't think about it, she would deal with that issue later, when she needed to. No, she thinks, this definitely was not the right moment to read this. Tossing the small book into her bag, Adrienne looks down at the second book. Most people considered her weird for always carrying around at least two books with her, but Adrienne found the habit necessary. If she wasn't in the mood to read one, she had a back-up. She liked to have a back-up plan.

Smiling slightly, she opens the book on a random page and it doesn't faze her that she's beginning at page 92 – she had read _The Great Gatsby_ so many times she knows the story inside and out, and could even recite sections of the text. As time passes, Adrienne reads contently, completely focused on the events that lead up to the end scene. She is so focused on what Nick Carraway is saying that she misses the sound of the door opening. She doesn't hear the sound of footsteps approaching her or sense a being standing over her.

It is only when a deep Southern voice speaks, that Adrienne realizes someone else is in the room.

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us."

Adrienne looks up and notices that the man has a small smile on his lips. She notes the lip piercing and the odd facial hair. Her eyes flutter up to meet his green eyes and she tilts her head to one side. A smile slowly breaks out on her lips as she says softly, "It eluded us then, but that's no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further…And one fine morning–"

His smile widens as he replies, "And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

Adrienne looks at him, her eyes narrowed slightly, and after a second, she grins. "Wise words, don't you think?"

"Fitzgerald defines human nature brilliantly," the man responds before indicating at the bench. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Depends on who you are," Adrienne says, a small smile playing on her lips. Although she knew who he was–you would have to be living in a rock for the last ten years to not know–Adrienne couldn't help but tease him. She watched happily as he sat down and laughed slightly.

He turns to her, his hand outstretched. "Jeff Hardy."

Taking his hand, Adrienne shakes it firmly. "Adrienne Haidar."

His hand slowly slips away from hers and he smiles curiously at her. "Haidar…Mind if I ask where that comes from?"

Adrienne smiles at him, she knew he was bound to ask sooner or later. With fair skin and wavy black hair, it was clear she was of exotic origins; people just had trouble placing where. Her eyes were the big give away; they were large, almond shaped and dark as night.

"It's originally an Arabic surname." When Jeff's eyebrows raise, Adrienne smiles. "I'm half Malaysian."

Jeff looks at her in awe. "I would never have guessed…" Then embarrassedly he adds, "Your eyes…I figured you were half…Chinese, or something."

Adrienne laughs and grins at him, her dimples showing. "I get that a lot; people aren't really familiar with what Malays look like. It's okay, really."

Jeff nods and tilts his head to one side, studying her intently. "English?"

Adrienne shakes her head and grins wickedly. "You'll never get it."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Maybe."

His eyes narrow and then suddenly he exclaims, "Greek!"

Adrienne laughs loudly. "No."

"But Adrienne is Greek," Jeff states, a small frown marring his features.

Adrienne smiles slightly at how cute he appears when confused. "I know it is, and that's why people don't get it. I'm half Italian, despite the Greek origins of my name."

"Oh…" Jeff is silent for a moment, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, before he says, "Dave Batista is half Greek, half Filipino. You're kinda similar…but not."

Adrienne grins at him. It was nice to know he was trying to make an effort welcoming her, even if he was talking nonsense. "That's kinda cool," Adrienne replies. She hadn't caught any of his recent matches, but she knew how big–literally and figuratively–Dave Batista was. It was intimidating as well as enthralling to think she would be working in the same company as him.

Glancing at Jeff, she can't help but ask, "Mind if I ask what you're doing in here?"

"I heard there was a new girl starting today."

"News gets around fast." Closing her book, which had been lying lifeless in her lap, she sets it back into her bag before turning back to Jeff. The first thought that came into her mind when she saw him was that he was better looking in real life. She had seen a couple of his matches and respected him for his in-ring talents, and usually that was enough for Adrienne. She wasn't a shallow person but it was hard to ignore the fact this man was gorgeous. He was obviously kind and intelligent. And he could recite parts of _The Great Gatsby_. He had just become that much hotter in her eyes.

Jeff laughs slightly. "Yep, like wildfire in this place." He pauses and then says, "I just wanted to see if you were alright. Starting in a new company can be daunting."

Adrienne nods; she knew that all too well. After her stint with Ring of Honor she had moved to Japan to work with All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling. She had stayed there for a couple of months before the company folded, where she then moved to Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling. Each time she moved to a different company, she found it equally intimidating. Though she knew she was just as good as the other women, being in a foreign country and not knowing anyone was terrifying. Adrienne smiles at Jeff; it was nice of him to think of her.

"Thank you," she says and suddenly, she feels like a schoolgirl again. She finds herself blushing slightly under his gaze and she has to avert her eyes. Adrienne glances at the clock and figures that now would be a good time to change into her gear.

Before she has a chance to speak, Jeff speaks. "Are you on tonight?"

She nods but keeps her eyes from looking at him. His stare was far too intense. "I'm up against Maria…" She laughs slightly, "I was hoping to go through the match with her beforehand but no-one seems to be around…"

"Don't worry about Maria. She'll be here sooner or later."

"Is everyone always this late?"

Jeff grins at her and shakes his head slightly, "We're just really early."

"Oh." Adrienne frowns slightly, why would Jeff need to be here so early?

As if reading her mind, Jeff elaborates. "I'm from this area. My house is only a short drive away from here, so I don't see the point in taking my time to get here. I have no excuse for being late so I'm always early."

"Oh, okay…" Adrienne looks up at the door and decides it's best if she got ready before the other women arrived. She also figured it would be better if they didn't see her with Jeff. Making a good first impression was always something Adrienne prided herself on doing, and if the other divas thought she was just another easy slut trying to get on the good side of the guys…Adrienne would hate herself if that happened.

Smiling at Jeff, Adrienne stands up and nods her head towards the clock on the wall. "I better get ready."

Despite her abruptness, Jeff smiles at her and nods. "Okay," he says as he gets up from the bench. "Maybe I'll see you after the show."

Adrienne smiles at him, genuinely relieved for having made a friend. "I'd like that."

"If there's anything you need, give me a shout."

Adrienne feels her stomach twist as she nods at him, her brown eyes steady on his. "Will do. Thanks again."

"No problem." Jeff smiles at her again and nods his head slightly before walking over to the door. When he opens the door, he's greeted by the sight of Maria and CM Punk. He grins at them sheepishly and before he gets the chance to leave, Punk narrows his eyes at him.

"What are you doing in the women's locker room?" Punk asks, his suspicion clear.

"New girl, I was making her feel welcome," Jeff replies coolly before quickly turning around to see a pale faced Adrienne. "Good luck for tonight, Adrienne."

Quickly dodging any more questions from his friend, Jeff leaves the room without another word. Adrienne stares at the place where Jeff had just stood and then, with much effort, her eyes look up at an equally stunned Punk.

It had been five years since she last saw his face.

A part of her thought she would have forgotten his face. When she signed her contract with the WWE she thought she wouldn't recognize him. She would be able to carry on as if he never existed. Since it had been so long, she had convinced herself she wouldn't be able to recognize him.

Adrienne had spent so long forcing herself to forget him that eventually, she had. Or at least, she had pushed him so far down in her memory that she thought he wouldn't resurface. She thought she could ignore him.

She thought she had left him behind.

And yet, here he was. And after five years, he looked the same.

His hair was still black–she was silently thankful he wasn't dyeing it again–he still wore his lip piercing, he still had a well-kept beard. His dark eyes were wide as his mind reminded him of who she was. As the memories of her resurfaced, his eyes instantly hardened and Adrienne felt her heart clench at the sight. It was only then that Adrienne noticed a hand wrapped in his.

The woman next to him was smaller than her and was looking at her curiously. Suddenly, a smile graces Adrienne's lips and she walks over to the couple. Stretching out her hand, she states, "Adrienne Haidar. It's nice to meet you."

The woman grins automatically and slips her hand into Adrienne's. "Maria Kanellis." Maria looks up at Punk and then turns back to Adrienne. "This is Phil Brooks, or CM Punk. Just call him Punk."

Adrienne nods and gives Punk a faint smile. She stretches out her hand, and is glad to see that it isn't shaking. "It's nice to meet you."

Punk swallows, his eyes fixated on Adrienne. It takes him a moment before he takes her hand and slowly shakes it. They hold on for longer than what would be considered normal, but the feeling of her hand in his, their skin touching after so long, causes them both to wish it could last longer. The electricity that sparks between them feels so familiar that they wish it wouldn't end.

But it does when Adrienne pulls her hand away.

She smiles uneasily at the pair before focusing on Maria. "I was hoping we could run over our match," she says nervously, not wanting to be too forward.

Maria beams at Adrienne, "No problem!" Looking up at Punk, Maria smiles sweetly. "I'll see you before your match."

Punk continues to stare at Adrienne before slowly looking down at his girlfriend. He smiles gently at her and although it causes his heart to hurt, he lowers his lips to hers and briefly kisses her. He then looks back at Adrienne and notices the way her jaw is set and her eyes are distant. It had been five years but he still recognizes that look. She was hurt.

But, he reasons with himself, that wasn't any of his business. Not anymore.

He glances at Adrienne and nods his head. "It was nice meeting you, Adrienne."

The sound of her name coming from his lips, the way his accent wraps around it, causes Adrienne to straighten her spine. She could do this, she tells herself as she tries to smile back at him. She had ignored him for so long that she could continue to do it now. It would just be harder. But she could do this.

She'll forget about him eventually.

"Should we get changed first?"

Maria's cheerful voice snaps Adrienne out of her daze. She smiles tightly at the redhead and walks back over to her gym bag. This would definitely be hard.

But she could do this.

Somehow.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Honestly, I don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thank you to all the people who read this, reviewed or added this story to their alerts, it's really appreciated (: This is just setting the foundations really, but I'd still love to know what people thought about this chapter (:

* * *

After the pair had changed into their ring gear, Maria started to go over the match with Adrienne, asking for her input where necessary. They worked out a plan, and Adrienne finally found herself getting excited. She was determined to forget the fact CM Punk was only a few doors down from her – this was the first match she would wrestle under the WWE and she was going to _win_. That was all that mattered to her at the moment because, although it was only a house show and it didn't really count, Adrienne was over the moon.

This was her chance to make it big.

This was the start of her career. For years she had wrestled on the Indy circuits and although she had made a respectable name for herself there, this was the WWE. This was what people considered the 'Big League.' This was it.

Adrienne couldn't believe this was really happening.

"So, are we okay about the match?" Maria asks as she stands up from the bench and begins to tie up her hair.

"Oh, yeah, totally." Adrienne smiles at her and for a moment she forgets that Maria is Punk's girlfriend. "Thank you for this. It really means a lot to me."

"Don't worry about it," Maria replies. She lowers her hands from her hair and smiles at Adrienne. "I remember what it was like first starting out around here. It's scary, but I've heard a lot about you. You were pretty big in Ring of Honor."

Adrienne blushes despite her best efforts to resist doing so. "I wasn't that–"

"Hey, don't worry." Maria laughs, "You're allowed to flaunt that. You've got skill; it can gain you a lot of respect around here. Especially amongst the guys."

Adrienne nods slightly, she knows how tough it is to gain respect from the guys. Unless you prove yourself, they'll just label you as another piece of meat that is only in the business to act as eye candy. That was the one thing that Adrienne did not want to happen. She was more than just a pretty face. A lot more. Smiling appreciatively at Maria, Adrienne says, "Thanks, Maria."

"No problem. Now I promised Punk I'll go see him before his match!" Maria grins and walks over to the door, "I'll see you before the match!"

Before Adrienne has the chance to reply, Maria is already out of the door. Sighing slightly, Adrienne tries to ignore the jealously that suddenly shoots through her. You have no reason to feel jealous, Adrienne reminds herself. No reason at all.

Though she keeps telling herself this, Adrienne feels the annoyance rise in her. What was he doing with a girl like Maria? She knew it was wrong to judge a person before you got to know them, but from the brief time she spent with Maria, she just didn't seem like Punk's type. She was…bubbly. That was evident from her large smile and cheerful voice and for some reason, it unsettled Adrienne. She had nothing against happy people, but Maria was so lively and it seemed to contrast with Punk's naturally calm personality.

He was laid-back and Maria just seemed so…_bouncy_. The word made Adrienne scrunch up her nose in distaste. Bouncy. Adrienne was hardly bouncy. She was cool, collected and conservative, the exact opposite of Maria.

But, a voice reminds her, what does it matter? It isn't as if Adrienne cared. She had no right to judge Maria and Punk's relationship, she hardly knew them. Well, that wasn't entirely true but after five years, did she really know Punk? Was he the same or had the years changed him?

Adrienne was thinking about this when the door to the locker room opened and a few women stepped in. Quickly looking up, Adrienne's eyes widened. She forgot about the other divas.

Standing up, Adrienne watches as two brunette women approach her, curious looks on their faces. The younger of the two speaks first. "Adrienne, right?"

"Er, yeah."

"Eve Torres," Eve says, and then points at the woman next to her. "And this is Melina Perez. Maria mentioned you were in here."

"We just wanted to make sure you were alright," Melina says, eyeing up Adrienne. After appearing to have settled any thoughts that were running through her mind, Melina smiles at Adrienne. "If you want, we can introduce you to some of the others. Most people hang around in catering before their matches."

"Oh." Initially Adrienne is surprised by their offer but then smiles nervously at them. "I'd like that a lot."

"Great," Eve grins as she turns on her heel and bounces towards the door. "Let's go then."

* * *

Once in catering, Adrienne felt herself relax a bit more. On their way there, Eve and Melina had enquired about her past, and seemed genuinely nice and interested in her. Adrienne began to feel more comfortable in her surroundings and couldn't help the smile that was gracing her face.

"So…" Melina says as she scans the room. "Oh!" Her eyes zone in on her boyfriend who is sitting at a table across the room with a few other men. Melina turns to look at Eve and Adrienne before saying, "Come on, John's over there."

Adrienne raises her eyebrow and watches as Melina meanders her way through the tables in the room. "Lemme guess, her boyfriend?"

Eve grins and links her arm with Adrienne's. "Got it in one."

When they approach the table, Adrienne's eyes instantly focus on one man. Despite his head being lowered due to him being engrossed in the newspaper he was reading, Adrienne thought she could recognize that hair anywhere. After all, it was pretty unique.

"Guys, this is Adrienne," Melina announces from her seat next to John Morrison. "Adrienne, this is Jay, Adam and Jeff."

Jeff's head snaps up when he hears her name and Adrienne can't help but smile when he grins at her. "Hey, Adrienne."

"Hey, Jeff," Adrienne says coolly. When she feels Eve look at her, Adrienne tries to explain. "I met Jeff earlier."

"Oh. Really?" Melina asks, drawing out the words as she turns to look at her friend. Instantly, she notices the look in Jeff's eyes. Ah, so that's how it is.

Adrienne shifts uncomfortably and quickly attempts to shift the conversation. "So, mind if we sit down?"

"Go ahead," Melina says, her eyes still fixed on Jeff.

Turning around, Eve and Adrienne grab chairs from the table behind them and pull up around the table. Adrienne turns to her right and smiles at the blond man next to her. "Hi," she says quietly, her cheeks slightly red. He was staring at her with his large blue eyes, his face blank, and Adrienne felt instantly worried. She was sitting next to Adam Copeland, one of her idols. She has to remind herself to breathe.

Slowly, a grin forms on Adam's lips. "Hey," he says and Adrienne is thankful that she's sitting down. If she wasn't, she might have collapsed. "How you finding it?"

"Fucking terrifying," Adrienne replies automatically and then her eyes widen when she realizes she just cursed.

It doesn't seem to faze Adam as he merely laughs at her and nods. "It always is when you start somewhere new. But don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Of course she'll be fine," Eve interrupts as she eyes the cut apple pieces on Jay's plate. When he looks up at her, Eve narrows her eyes slightly. "You gonna eat that?"

Jay rolls his eyes and pushes the plate towards her. "Go ahead." He then turns to look at Adrienne and smiles. "You ready for your first match?"

Adrienne nods her head, her confidence showing instantly. "Definitely."

Adam grins at her, his eyes running over her face. "Confidence. I like that."

As Adrienne blushes, Melina pulls her lips away from John long enough to comment. "Stop whatever it is you're planning, Adam."

"Hey," he says, holding up his hands in defense. "Who said I was planning something?"

"You had that look on your face."

Everyone turns to look at Jeff who is still reading his newspaper. He turns the page slowly before continuing, his eyes never leaving the paper in front of him. "Melina's just trying to protect the new girl. She doesn't want Adrienne to turn into another one of your conquests."

"One of my conquests?" Adam says in disgust. He narrows his eyes at Jeff. "And what's that meant to mean?"

"I think you know, Adam," Jeff replies showing his disinterest as his eyes continue to scan the newspaper.

"No. I don't know. Why don't you enlighten me?"

"Well," Jeff drawls as he flips another page of the newspaper. "We all know your brain isn't situated in your head."

Adam's eyes darkened as he snaps, "What the fuck, man. Why would you–"

"Hey, guys," Jay interrupts eyeing both men. "Calm down, will you?"

"Yeah," Eve agrees before popping another piece of apple into her mouth. "I'm sure Adrienne doesn't want to hear this."

Suddenly, Adrienne snaps into focus and raises her eyebrows. "Oh…yeah…" She glances at Jeff, her head titled to one side. He hadn't looked up from the newspaper but she could see the small smile at the corner of his lips. The more time she spent with him, the more amusing she found him. "Actually, on second thought, I don't really mind." She looks up and grins wickedly at Adam. "It's kinda amusing. Resume."

Adam narrows his eyes at Jeff, even though the other man isn't paying attention. "I will not _resume_," he mutters darkly. He then looks at Adrienne seriously. "I don't consider you another conquest. I hope you know that."

His gentle voice causes Adrienne's cheeks to warm and she smiles shyly at him. "I know that," she replies quietly. "Don't worry about it, honestly."

Before anyone has the chance to comment, a stagehand comes up to them with a clipboard in his hand. He scans the table and then his eyes land on Adrienne. "Adrienne Haidar?" He asks, looking down at the brunette.

Adrienne turns to look up at him, her face curious, but then before he has the chance to inform her, her eyes widen and she scrambles to stand up. "My match!"

The stagehand smiles slightly and nods his head towards the exit. "You got ten minutes."

"Thank you," she says and then turns back to the table. She smiles at them, "It was nice meeting you all, but I gotta jet."

"I'll see you after your match," Eve says as she turns to face Adrienne. "Come and find me, I'll probably still be in here."

"Stealing more of my food," Jay mutters under her breath.

Although Eve was still facing Adrienne and smiling, she addresses Jay, her voice cheerful. "Do you have a problem with that?" Before he can reply, Eve carries on. "No? You don't? Oh well, that's nice. Thanks, babes."

Adrienne grins when Jay rolls his eyes behind Eve's back and she gives a brief nod. "I'll catch you later, bye."

It is only when Adrienne has left that Jeff looks up from the newspaper, his eyes trailing after her. He watches the way her hips sway when she walks and he smiles slightly at her confidence.

"Stop looking at her like that," Melina says as she watches Jeff. She smiles slightly, "I know what you're up to."

Jeff shakes his head and closes the newspaper, carefully folding it in half. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mel."

"You're planning something," she says slowly but then shrugs. "You gonna let us in on it?"

"Hey, wait," Adam says suddenly, pointing his finger between the pair. "When you thought I was planning something you told me to stop. But when it's _him_, it's okay?"

"Well you see it's because she trusts me."

Adam glares at Jeff. "What? And she doesn't trust me?"

Jeff smirks at him, "You really want me to answer that?"

Melina rolls her eyes at the men. "Grow up."

"But it isn't fair–"

"Adam! Shut up!" Melina sighs. "Don't you have a match to get ready for?"

"Yeah, Adam," Jeff says, smiling at the man in front of him. "Don't you?"

Without saying anything, Adam gets up from his seat and walks off, clearly annoyed with his group of friends. Melina shakes her head as she watches him slam the door shut behind him and then turns to Jeff, her eyebrows raised at the triumphant look on his face. "You can wipe that grin off your face, Jeff. You're just as bad as him."

"Am not," Jeff says as he grabs his newspaper and gets up from his seat. "I gotta find Matt. I'll see ya guys after the show."

After they all bid him goodbye, Melina shakes her head again once he's out of sight. "One of these days, they're gonna end up in a fight."

Jay shakes his head. "Nah, they won't. They may fight but…I don't see it happening."

"You never know," John pipes in for the first time. He had been watching the exchange carefully and had seen the fire behind Adam's eyes. He wasn't as calm as Jeff, one of these days he would blow. "It might go too far one day."

The group falls into silence as they all contemplate the end of Jeff and Adam's friendship. Although they didn't want to admit it, they all knew it was going to happen. It felt as if it was written in stone, and now it was only a matter of time.

After a moment filled with tense silence, Eve lifts up the plate that's in front of her and asks in a cheerful voice, "Does anyone want some apple?"

* * *

**I hope people enjoyed this. Feedback would be nice (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thanks to all the people who read this (: I hope people enjoy the next chapter. The Talamore Resort is an actual place in NC, so no credit goes to me for naming the place. Anyway, let me know what you thought in a review, please (:

* * *

Adrienne begins to take deep breaths as she stands in front of the curtains. She can hear the crowd, she can feel the electricity in the air and she can definitely feel the butterflies hammering away against her stomach.

She doesn't know whether she wants to be sick or jump for joy.

Licking her lips nervously, Adrienne runs a hand through her long hair. She could do this; all she has to do is walk out there and smile. Maybe someone will recognize her from Ring of Honor or Japan and cheer for her. Maybe someone will cheer. Hopefully someone will cheer.

"Adrienne?"

Adrienne turns around and sees Maria and Punk walking hand in hand towards her. She smiles slightly, not really able to form a proper smile in his presence, and responds quietly. "Hey, guys."

Maria eyes her sympathetically. "I know you're worried, but you don't have to be. You'll be great."

Punk looks down at his girlfriend and seeing her care for a woman she just met sends warm jolts through him. She was a wonderfully genuine person and Punk knows he's lucky to have her. As the thought enters his mind, he looks up at Adrienne. Seemingly automatically, his heart tightens as he takes in her image.

She looked the same. Her hair was still wavy and there were still hints of brown mixed in with the black. Her eyes were large and as he looked into her dark eyes, he knew that if he was closer, he would be able to make out the traces of light brown in her irises. If he was closer, he knew he would be able to smell the perfume she had been using for years. If he was closer, he would be able to see the small birth mark that sat along her hairline and the fine white line that was underneath her left ear, a reminder of the time she had been busted open by a chair.

His eyes trail away from her eyes and down her body, noticing that her ring gear had changed over the years. Although she still wore a small bra-like top, she had changed the color from light blue to black and Punk couldn't help but think the color looked better on her. Instead of wearing shorts, Adrienne had changed into wrestling tights and Punk's eyes narrowed when he noticed the series of X's running down the outside of her legs. They were colored silver and he couldn't take his eyes off them. Then, his eyes noticed something else, something that hadn't been there five years ago.

She had a tattoo. When Punk looked closer, he noticed that in fact she had two tattoos. It caught him by surprise since Adrienne was squeamish and afraid of needles. Whenever she had to go for a blood test or get an injection, he would have to come along to hold her hand. Who had held her hand when she got her tattoos? He peers closer and tries to make out what they are. The ink stains both of her wrists and the only thing Punk can make out is cursive letters.

Glancing away from her wrists, Punk looks at Adrienne and their eyes lock. In that one second, Punk feels too open, bare and vulnerable under her gaze, and so he forces himself to look away, his eyes instead focusing on the woman standing next to him. His eyes flutter to their intertwined hands and it's a serves as a good reminder that he shouldn't be thinking about Adrienne.

Adrienne's soft voice floats towards him. "Thanks Maria, but I just can't help feel a bit afraid. You can never predict how the crowd will react."

"They'll love you," Maria responds reassuringly. "A pretty girl comes out and most guys are hooked. Once they see what you can do in the ring, they'll be blown away."

Adrienne genuinely smiles at Maria. Despite her best efforts to not like the woman, it was obvious that Maria was hard not to like. "Come on then," she says, nodding towards the curtains. "Let's give them something to cheer about."

Maria grins and squeals slightly. Quickly turning to Punk, she stands on her toes to place a quick kiss on his lips. "Wish me luck."

Punk shakes his head slightly and wraps his arms around her. He can feel Adrienne's gaze on him but he ignores it. "You don't need luck," he murmurs as he traces his lips over hers. "You know you're better than that."

Maria grins against his lips and murmurs, "I know. But it's nice to hear you say that sometimes."

Placing another small kiss against her lips, Punk finally moves away from the redhead and glances at Adrienne. "Have a good match," he says, mainly because he doesn't know what else to say to her. Sometimes, it hurts to even look at her.

"Thank you," Adrienne replies in a low voice. Her eyes remain steady on his for another moment before he turns away and walks down the hallway.

Adrienne watches his retreating form until a stagehand calls out her name. She looks up and nods, it was time to go out. She looks down at Maria briefly and smiles. She could do this, she reminds herself as she watches Maria push through the black curtain. Punk didn't matter, not now. This was her moment; this was the moment she had been working towards for the majority of her adult life. Nothing was going to get in the way, she was not going to let Punk slip into her thoughts and ruin this for her.

She deserved better and now finally, she was getting her chance.

Glancing up at the ceiling, Adrienne closes her eyes for a second before looking down at the curtain. She glances to the side at the stagehand and when he finally points at the curtain, Adrienne draws a quick cross over her heart and rushes towards the blackness.

This was it.

* * *

After their match, Adrienne and Maria walk through the curtain and see Jeff leaning against an empty crate. He was standing there, a bit further away from all the commotion surrounding the backstage workers. His hands are in his jeans pocket, legs crossed at the ankles, and it looks like he's waiting for someone. As they walk closer to him, a smile spreads on his lips and it becomes clear that he was waiting for them.

"I saw you guys on the monitor," he says, his accent enhanced by the quietness that encircled the end of the hallway. Adrienne feels herself blush slightly when he looks directly at her, his green eyes sincere. "You were great."

"Thank you," Adrienne says quietly. "Maria did a great job, too." She turns to look at Maria, and smiles, "The way the crowd responds to you is amazing."

Maria grins at the compliment and says a quick thanks to Adrienne. She then turns to Jeff, her eyes lighting up. "Have you seen Punk anywhere?"

Jeff jerks his thumb towards the end of the hallway. "Locker room."

Maria nods and then throws the pair a wide grin. "Okay, I better go catch up with him." Then, as a thought suddenly enters her mind, Maria asks, "You're staying at the Talamore with us, right?"

Adrienne nods, confirming that she was staying at the same hotel with the other superstars. "I checked in this morning."

Maria grins, satisfied with Adrienne's answer. "Okay, cool. I'll see you back there then."

In a flurry, Maria leaves the pair in search of her boyfriend and this leaves a silence hanging over Adrienne and Jeff. Adrienne looks at him and notices the amused expression on his face. Quirking her eyebrow, she asks, "Got something to say, Hardy?"

He shakes his head and then smiles at her. "Nope."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. It's as if you're finding something…amusing."

Jeff shrugs, his smile widening slightly. "You amuse me," he states, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Despite the fact her heart flutters every so often because of his thick accent, Adrienne raises her head and ignores the feeling. "Oh, well that's nice," Adrienne says dryly. She quickly waves her hand in the direction of the woman's locker room. "I gotta get changed. I'll catch you later."

As she begins to walk away, Jeff watches her and then suddenly, he moves into action. He follows her towards the locker room, neither of them speaking, though Adrienne knows that he's behind her. When they reach the room, Adrienne turns to face him, her arms crossed against her chest.

"You can't come in here, you know that," she says as she watches Jeff rock on the balls of his feet. She rolls her eyes at his sparkling expression. "What are you up to?"

Her voice is full of suspicion and Jeff's only response is a blinding grin. He found it entertaining that she got annoyed so easily. Although he had only known her for less than a day, Jeff already knew that he liked pushing her buttons; he liked trying to gauge a response from her. "I'm not up to anything, Adrienne," he says, and although his tone is light, it is clear that he is lying.

She pauses at first but then Adrienne shakes her head and smiles, unable to deny the fact that Jeff was cute. He seemed to radiate energy and Adrienne can't help but smile whenever he does. It's addictive and annoying at the same time, which made Adrienne want to see it more often. Shaking her head slightly, Adrienne tries to stop smiling, but it's too difficult. "Goodbye, Jeff," she says gently and slowly turns back to the door, grabbing the doorknob and pushing the door open.

As she slips into the room, she hears his soft voice wish her goodnight and Adrienne feels her heart flutter again.

Damn him and his accent.

* * *

When Adrienne finally reaches catering, just like she said, Eve was sitting at a table with Jay, a plate of mixed fruit in front of them. As she approaches the table, Jay glances up and spots her, a smile forming on his lips. "Hey, how'd it go?"

Eve's eyes widen and she claps her hands together excitedly. "Ooh, was it good? Did you get cheered? They must have loved you, didn't they?"

Adrienne laughs and sits down in front of them. "It was fine. We got cheered for our effort and the crowd was good. It was good."

Jay nods his head, accepting her answer for what it was, but Eve frowns slightly. "Is that it?" She asks, her voice showing her genuine confusion.

"What? Did you expect me to give you a minute-by-minute feedback on the match?"

Eve's frown deepens. "Well, no. But I thought you would be more…excited."

Her answer causes Adrienne to laugh loudly. "Oh, Eve," Adrienne says, smiling at the brunette. "I am excited. It was a good match, it was my first match here and I loved it, but if you're expecting me to jump up and down and clap my hands, you need a reality check." She shakes her head and leans back in her chair. "I'm not like that."

"Oh…" Eve pauses before waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, okay. That's fine. But as long as you're pleased with it."

"I am."

"Good, I'm glad we got that sorted," Jay interrupts as he looks over Adrienne's shoulder. He then glances at Eve and Adrienne before indicated his head towards the exit. "Come on, we better go back to the hotel now. I just saw Adam walk past, if we still want a ride we better go now."

"Alright, alright," Eve says and then looks at Adrienne. "Do you have a car or do you want to come back with us?"

"I have a rental," Adrienne interrupts. "Though thank you for the offer."

"Okay, we'll see you back at the hotel then," Eve says before getting up from her seat.

Adrienne waits until Jay and Eve have left before she sighs. She hadn't realized how tired she would be after her match. It wasn't as if she was out of touch in the ring–she was the complete opposite–however the effects of such an energizing match was taking its toll on her now. She hadn't felt this excited and worn since she debuted in Ring of Honor. When she had moved to Japan, the rush wasn't there – when she was over there it was a matter of changing herself and getting by in life, not the excitement of performing. When she debuted in Ring of Honor…that feeling was intense and exhilarating, just like how she was feeling now. She smiles at the memory of the adrenalin rush and the electricity that sparked through her veins.

Her smile fades slightly however when an image flashes through her mind. It was fragmented but Adrienne instantly recognized the scene. The first time she had seen Punk was after her first match with Ring of Honor. He was standing against the wall laughing along with one of the interviewers and Adrienne remembers staring at his peroxide blond hair and blackened eyes, and thinking that he was one of the oddest men she had ever seen. His unkempt hair color seemed to contrast with his striking good looks and there was an air of arrogance and composure that surrounded him which made Adrienne feel compelled to him, and yet wary of approaching him.

Adrienne could still remember what he said to her the first time they spoke and how he had–

_No._

She wasn't going to think about _him_.

Adrienne sighs and tries to focus on something else. She reminds herself that she just completed her first match and the crowd had cheered for. They cheered and applauded her and the though brings a smile to Adrienne's face. The memory of being in ring, the lights burning into her skin, it was addictive. The sound of the crowd, the sound of the mat thumping underneath her after a move – it was what she lived for. There was no doubt in her mind that this was where she was meant to be, this was what she was supposed to be doing with her life. There was nothing else she could do but wrestle and entertain.

It shouldn't matter to her that he was here with her. He was insignificant and with time would fade back into the darkness of her mind. She could forget him, eventually. With a determined smile fixed on her face, Adrienne gets up from her seat. She looks down at the leftover fruit pieces on the plate before quickly picking up a piece of pineapple and popping it into her mouth. Grinning to herself, Adrienne walks over to the exit, a slight bounce in her step.

She may not be an overly cheerful person, and she may not have total control over her thoughts just yet, but the sensation of completing her first match in the WWE has got Adrienne grinning from ear to ear.

She was going to go back to the hotel and forget about everything. She was going to fall asleep and dream of wrestling another match. After all, that was the only thing that mattered to her now.

* * *

**I hope people enjoyed this. Feedback would be nice, please (:**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thanks to all the people who read this, added it to their alerts and to those who reviewed, thanks so much! I hope this is okay, and that people enjoy reading it. Anyway, let me know what you thought in a review, please (:

Cheers!

* * *

Once she was back in her hotel room, the first thing Adrienne did was collapse on her bed. Now, she is still lying face down on her bed, her face smothered by a pillow. The cool breeze enters the room from the open window and Adrienne finds herself sighing in relief. One match down, only another hundred to go.

As she stretches, she feels her muscles slowly unwind and despite the pain that shoots through her body, Adrienne appreciates the feeling. It feels good to relax, especially since she knows she has only one day to recover before she makes her Smackdown debut.

The thought brings a smile to Adrienne's face. The show was being taped, along with ECW, on the Tuesday night in Roanoke, Virginia and so Adrienne had one day to make her way to the town and to prepare for her next match. Stephanie had told her the plan: she would help Eve backstage after the woman gets attacked by Layla. The original plan was for Eve to face off against Layla, but as she would be unfit to compete, Teddy Long would make Adrienne take her place.

Rolling onto her back, Adrienne stares up at the ceiling and smiles, enjoying the fact she was starting off as a face. It was always a nice feeling, knowing that the crowd was behind you and by being a face, that fact was nearly always guaranteed.

Adrienne closes her eyes for a moment, and tries to catch some sleep. There's a voice at the back of her mind telling her that she should go down to the hotel's restaurant and grab some food, but at the moment, as her muscles soothe and she welcomes the darkness, Adrienne forgets about eating. All she cares about now is sleep.

It's too bad the loud knocking on her door ends her chances of falling asleep.

Groaning slightly, Adrienne rolls off the bed and lands gracefully on her feet. She reluctantly goes and opens the door only to be greeted by the sight of…

Her hearts stops as he stares at her.

_Fuck._

"Go away," Adrienne whispers harshly. She quickly glances down the hallway and then back at him. "Go away. Now."

"Can I come in?"

His voice is calm and low and Adrienne feels like punching him. "No," she grits out, her hand tightening around the doorknob. "You cannot come in."

He looks at her for a beat and then pushes past her, allowing himself into her small room. Angrily, Adrienne turns around and slams shut the door. She glares at him as he walks further into the room, his back to her. Despite her best efforts to stop her thoughts, Adrienne hears a part of her mind admit that he looked good. He looked too damn good.

Instantly she recognized the Throw Down t-shirt she had worn more times than she would care to admit. Her eyes involuntarily trace over his lean muscles and the way his jeans were faded and tight in all the annoyingly right places.

No, she shouts at herself, she would not get distracted. He wasn't meant to be in here, she wasn't meant to talk to him when it didn't involve work, and Adrienne was sure that he hadn't come to her hotel room at ten at night to discuss matches. No, he wanted to talk to her but God damn it, she wouldn't let him.

"Punk," Adrienne says, keeping her voice low. "Get out of my room now. I don't want you in here."

She hears him sigh but when he says nothing, and doesn't even turn around to face her, Adrienne feels the anger rise in her. How dare he march into her room and now not explain himself. He started this, he obviously wanted to talk to her but now he was refusing to do so. Adrienne wants to shout at him, remind him of the fact that she had ignored him for so long that she was going to carry on doing so, but she can't seem to find the energy to say it.

Instead, she asks in a quiet voice, "Why are you here?"

His eyes close automatically and Punk sighs again. The memories that flooded his mind whenever she spoke were too much to handle. He could see everything they had done together and the images flashing behind his eyes pained him and so his eyes open, and he stares out of the window. He doesn't know what possess him, but he suddenly whispers, "I needed to see you."

It was a simple explanation but the weight behind his words hit Adrienne with force. He needed to see her. He _wanted_ to see her. After five fucking years, now he wanted to see her. Now he wanted to talk to her. Why the fuck did he want to talk to her? He was the one that hated her, or had he forgotten that fact?

A part of her knows it's too late and she knows she shouldn't be talking like this, but the relief that settled at the back of her mind at his words is small and yet hard to deny. "I've needed to see you, too," she murmurs gently, carefully watching his tense stance.

Suddenly, it feels as if someone is cutting off his oxygen supply because Punk has to take deep breaths to regain control. Unfortunately, it doesn't help to calm him because it still feels as if someone is strangling him. He knows it hurts to be around her, to see her and be reminded, but he can't help himself – he needs to be near her. And not just be around her in the sense of how he's around everyone else – this is Adrienne. It's different with her, it was always different, and it's so addictive that it should be wrong, but it isn't. When he says he needs to see her, it translates to the idea that if he waits another second and isn't in her company, he might just explode.

After all these years, the desire to be around her was undeniable.

She brought out feelings in him he thought he had buried. It angered him because he knows that when she left, when he left, everything had changed. Because of her, he wasn't the same person anymore. There was no reason why he should feel like this anymore. Maria didn't make him want to burst into flames, one look from her didn't cause his heart to clench or stop. When Maria looked at him, his heart quickened, it raced and it was exciting.

Adrienne was the opposite. Time stood still when he was with her, and tonight when Punk had entered the hotel room he shares with Maria, he wanted to be there again. He wanted to be in a room where time stood still.

He had to find Adrienne. He needed to feel that way again.

Slowly, Punk runs a hand through his hair and swallows nervously. When he found himself standing in front of her door, he had realized that he hadn't thought this through. He had no plan. What was he going to say to her when she finally opened the door? What was he going to say to her when she questioned him? How was he going to explain himself?

Punk didn't have a fucking clue. All he knew was that when he got urge, when he felt the impulse ignite through him, he had gone to the front desk to ask what room Adrienne was in. Then, all of a sudden, he was standing in front of her door, wondering what the fuck he had gotten himself into. Now as he stands staring out of her window at the dark night, Punk wonders if this was a bad idea. Maybe he shouldn't have acted on impulse; after all it was hurting him just being in her presence.

But, as a tiny voice reminds him, they needed to see each other.

It had been too long since they stood alone in a room together. The last time that had happened…

Instantly, Punk's eyes darken and he turns around to face Adrienne. She's still beautiful and his eyes soften instantly when he looks at her. There are so many things he wants to say but can't and so he settles for, "How are you?"

To anyone else it would seem like a normal question to ask someone you hadn't seen in nearly five years. But to them, the three words held so much emotion, so much meaning, that it caused Adrienne to suck in her breath. She looks at him, her eyes wide and sad, and shakes her head, her hair falling into her eyes. "I'm fine," she whispers, her eyes never leaving his. "I'm fine. How are you?"

She's lying. He knows that, but instead of forcing more information out of her he merely shrugs and replies, "I'm alright."

"Good," Adrienne says as she looks away. She sighs suddenly and turns back to him. "You should go. It's late."

The words are forced out of him before he has a chance to stop them. "I don't want to go. I want to be here."

Adrienne laughs suddenly, and her lips curl up in disgust. "Now you want to be here? _Now_ you want to be here with me?" She shakes her head and mutters, "Un-fucking-believable…"

Punk frowns and his stance becomes tense. "Hey, if anyone should be angry, it should be me, Adrienne. Not you. You didn't even tell me you got signed."

Her eyes widen and she looks at him in shock. "What? Why the fuck should I have told you? Correct me if I'm wrong, but we hadn't talked in over _five_ years, Punk!"

"And whose fault is that?" Punk asks, his voice rising.

Adrienne face pales instantly and she stares at Punk in horror. "I-I can't believe you just said that," she whispers. She's quiet for a moment and they continue to stare at each other before Adrienne's anger bursts. "You think it's _my_ fault that I didn't call you? You think I _wanted_ to ignore you?"

"I don't know, Adrienne!" Punk shouts suddenly as he glares at her. "You tell me because what am I meant to think? You just cut me off."

"You didn't give me much choice!" Adrienne shouts desperately. She points at him angrily. "You didn't give me a fucking choice, Punk. I didn't want to cut you off but what other choice did I have? Would you have answered my calls?" She sees the hesitance in his eyes and she shakes her head. "No, you wouldn't have so don't you _dare_ blame this on me. There was nothing I could do so don't blame me because you could have called, Punk. You could have done _something_ but you didn't. You didn't do anything. You cut _me_ off, you ignored _me_ and I had no other choice, so don't blame me. Don't you ever blame me."

Her anger hangs in the air between them and it takes him a moment but soon enough Punk mutters, "I'm sorry."

_I'm sorry._

The two words repeat in Adrienne's mind as she watches him and feels the hurt radiate off his body. The sudden urge to walk over to him and wrap her arms around his frame is overwhelming, but Adrienne stops herself. He didn't deserve her comfort, not now, not after everything. She clenches her hands into fists and stares at him, unwilling to be taken in by his sadden gaze.

He was sorry, she had waited years to hear those words but now that she has, they don't feel right. He was only saying he was sorry because he knew he should have done something but didn't. He wasn't saying sorry for hurting her, for causing her unnecessary pain, he was saying sorry for a mistake, a mistake that hardly mattered now.

Adrienne didn't want him to say sorry for not calling her. She didn't even want him to say sorry for causing her so much pain. In this moment, she wanted him to come closer and hold her because if she was honest, she was upset and angry and lonely, and Punk always knew how to heal her. There was something about him, about his warmth, that soothed her and there had been many moments in the last five years where she had wished, prayed and begged she could feel that way again. She needed his arms around her but as Adrienne stares at him, tears of anger form in her eyes.

She couldn't do this.

She couldn't be around him and she felt angry at herself because of it.

Letting out a shaky breath, Adrienne quietly asks, "Why did you come here?"

The sight of her eyes shining causes Punk to instinctively take a step forward. "I needed to be with you, Addie."

The sound of her nickname causes Adrienne to flinch slightly. She hadn't heard that in a while. "I know that already. But why? Why now? We've…Can't we carry on as if I'm not here?" She asks, her eyes wide and desperate. "Why do you need to be here?"

"I…" He falters trying to come up with a logical explanation, but he couldn't think of one. All he knew was that he had to see her. Maybe it was because he couldn't believe she was really here, she was actually going to be working with him, but another reason suddenly entered his mind. He looked at her, his eyes masked; protecting himself from the backlash he knew was to come.

"We need to talk."

"I don't want to."

"Come on," he urges. "There's…There's a lot of things we need to discuss, Adrienne."

Although she knows how much it must have pained him to say that, Adrienne remains firm with her decision. "We've ignored it for this long, and just because I'm working in the same company with you, doesn't mean we suddenly have to talk. We don't need to…I'm not your friend, Punk."

It was quick, but Adrienne saw the hurt flash behind his dark eyes. If she had blinked, she would have missed it, but she saw it. However it didn't matter if what she said had hurt him, she was only talking the truth. "I'm just here, Punk. I'm not here to interfere with your life and I'm not here hoping that we can become friends, because I know that won't happen. I know that, and…and I've accepted it. I think you need to realize that too."

"I realize that," he says carefully. "But that doesn't stop the fact that we have things to talk about."

Adrienne huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "Well, I don't want to talk."

She sounds like a little child and a small smile forms on Punk's lips. Carefully he takes another step forward and his eyes look down to her wrists. If she didn't want to talk about the past, then he could at least try to learn more about her.

"When did you get those?" He asks, trying to stick to a safe topic. It was a start; he just needed her to talk to him again. "I always thought you were afraid of needles."

Adrienne's heart plummets and she looks away, opting to look over his shoulder at the window. "When I moved to Japan, it was the first thing I did."

As if it was second nature, he can easily sense the sorrow behind her voice but for the moment, he ignores it. "Can I see them?" He asks gently as he moves closer to her. "What do they say?"

Letting out a small sigh, Adrienne looks at him and she knows as soon as she shows him, he's going to want the full story. He always wanted to know everything, and Adrienne can feel the dread spread through her already. Sighing, she holds up her left arm and shows him the outside of her wrist. "Straight," she says and then turns her wrist the other way to show the inside. "Edge."

It takes him a moment to register what she said and then he looks closer at her wrist, taking in the sight of the black cursive writing. Straight edge. He raises his eyes to look at Adrienne and he knows he should say something, ask her what happened, if she really believed in the lifestyle, but he can't force his mind to form the words. All he can do is watch as Adrienne raises her other arm and shows him the outside of her wrist. "Never," she whispers before showing him the inside. "Again."

Her voice is filled with tears and Punk wants to take her in his arms but he refrains. Instead he looks her in the eyes and keeps his voice low, "What happened?"

It's obvious to Punk that something must have happened to her to cause her to change her ways and he feels unsettled over the idea. Why would she change her mind? When he knew her, she hadn't been a heavy drinker but he knew she liked her tequila shots when the mood struck her. He knew this and he would never try to change that about her, because at the end of the day, it was her life, not his.

Did she change her life because of him? Did she want to follow in his footsteps hoping it might reconnect them one day? Punk frowns as he studies Adrienne. Something was wrong, he could sense it but he knew she wouldn't tell him.

And just like he predicted, Adrienne confirms his thoughts by replying quietly, "Nothing happened. I just decided I didn't want to ruin my body anymore."

It was an honest answer but Punk didn't want to accept it. "What made you change your mind?"

Adrienne groans in frustration and glares at him. "I just changed my mind, that's all. God, do I really need to give you an explanation?"

"An explanation would be nice," Punk says before adding sarcastically, "Sorry for wanting to get to know you after so long."

"Oh, just shut up, Punk," Adrienne snaps before shaking her head and turning away from him. She stalks to the door and yanks it open before turning back to him. "I think it's time for you to leave."

He laughs at her abruptness before looking at her confidently. "No."

Adrienne jaw sets and she narrows her eyes at him. "Get out before I throw you out."

Punk laughs, a grin on his face. He hadn't heard her say that to him in a long time and though he knows it was annoying her, he can't help but grin. It was just too easy. He used to love annoying her because he always thought she looked cute when she was angry. "We need to talk, Addie," he says as he walks towards her. "I'm not leaving until we do."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Slamming the door shut, Adrienne turns to glare at him. "We can talk tomorrow if you want but now, I want to sleep. I want some fucking sleep and if you do not leave right now I will grab you and throw you out on your ass." When Punk starts to laugh, Adrienne cuts him off. "If you laugh again I swear to God, I'll rip out your tongue!"

"Okay, okay," he says as he raises his hands. He missed how easily they can go from talking to her shouting at him. Adrienne was a natural hot-head and Punk was comforted in the fact that some things never change. He smiles at her and waves his hand at the door. "I'm going. Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down."

"Well, you're getting angry. You need to relax."

Adrienne grunts and opens the door again. "Out."

"I'm going, I'm going," Punk mutters under his breath and walks past her. Once he's on the other side of the door, he turns back to look at her. Even though her face shows her annoyance, Punk can see the fatigue and regret behind her dark eyes. He doesn't know what makes him say it but quietly, Punk says, "I wish we could go back to before."

Adrienne sees the sincerity in his eyes and it causes her shoulders to slump slightly. She leans her head against the side of the door and whispers, "Me too."

"Good night, Addie."

"Good night, Punk."

They stand there, staring at each other for another minute before Adrienne sighs and lowers her eyes. It shouldn't be this hard to leave him–even if it is for a couple of hours–but it is hard because now that Adrienne had found him, she didn't want to be separate from him again. He was here, so close to her and all she wanted to do was keep it that way.

But he needed to leave.

Maria was probably wondering where he was.

Oh God, Adrienne thinks as the color drains from her face. Here she was thinking about being close to Punk when his girlfriend was in their hotel room, on their bed, waiting for him. _Shit._ Quickly, Adrienne looks up at Punk and bites her bottom lip. He was finding it just as difficult to leave. But he had to. Now.

"Okay…good night," Adrienne mutters before carefully moving away and shutting the door.

She waits a moment before slowly turning away and staring at her bed. She needed to sleep; she has an early flight in the morning. She knows this but instead of moving to her bed, Adrienne slowly slips down the door until she lands on the floor. When she does, she brings her knees to her chest and rests her head on her knees. It takes her a moment, but soon enough, the tears she had been fighting against slide down her cheeks.

She couldn't ignore him any longer and that thought alone, caused a sob to escape her lips.

_Fuck._

* * *

**I hope people liked this. Feedback would be nice (:**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thanks to all the people who read this and to the people who reviewed the last chapter, I'm really grateful (: Anyway, I hope people enjoy this next installment and please, let me know what you thought in a review, thanks (:

* * *

The following morning Adrienne wakes up to the sound of someone knocking on her door. The sound is louder than usual and as Adrienne opens her eyes she realizes this is because she is still leaning against her door from last night.

When she gets up, her knees crack and she winces at the noise. Adrienne grunts as she moves away from the knocking and towards her suitcase which was placed next to her bed. She glances at the clock on the small table next to the bed and realizes that her flight was leaving in three hours.

_Three hours._

"Oh crap," Adrienne mutters as she raises a hand to her face. Her fingers touch the dried tears on her face and she starts to scrub her face when another loud knock on her door causes her to frown.

"Calm the fuck down!" She shouts before storming over to the door and yanking it open. Her eyes narrow when she stares at the grinning man. "Go away," she mutters darkly. It is too early in the morning for her to act civil towards him.

"And good morning to you, too," he replies, his grin nearly splitting his face. He gestures to her room, "Mind if I come in?"

Before she has the chance to stop him, he makes his way into her room without asking permission. As Adrienne watches him look around, she makes a mental note to punch the next person who has the guts to do that.

Ignoring Adrienne's stare, his eyes fall on her suitcase and he goes to pick it up but Adrienne's voice stops him. "Don't."

Slowly, he turns to look at her and he smiles at how adorable she looks with ruffled hair and…had she been crying? "Your eyes are red," he states, his green eyes instantly showing his concern. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Adrienne replies before shutting the door and walking towards her bed. She sits down and instead of looking up at him; she stares at the wall as she asks, "Why are you here, Jeff?"

"I'm picking up Punk and Maria. A friend of mine is giving us a lift to the airport and I thought you'd want a lift too."

"I have a rental."

"But you'll have to give it back," Jeff reminds her. "Might as well do that first and then come with us."

The offer makes sense but Adrienne is immediately wary of spending time with Punk. Although they wrestle for the same company and are on the same show, she knew she could avoid him if she tried. She had come to that conclusion last night and now, there was no reason for them to spend more time with each other than necessary. After last night, Adrienne was even more determined to ignore Punk. He would want to talk to her about their past and the longer she put that off, the better.

"I don't know, Jeff…" Adrienne looks up at him and is suddenly hit by a wave of nerves. "I-I don't want to be intrusive…"

"You won't be," Jeff reassures her. "There's an extra space and I'm inviting you."

He flashes her one of his blinding grins and Adrienne feels herself weaken. Maybe she could ignore Punk; she could strike up a conversation with anyone else but him during the car ride. Once she was at the airport she could go find Eve, or stick with Jeff. She was sure he wouldn't mind. It was a simple plan and finally, Adrienne gets up from her seat. "Fine," she says. "Let me get ready, and then I'll meet you in the lobby."

"Okay," Jeff says as he sits down on her bed, still smiling.

Adrienne turns around to look at him and shakes her head. "If you hadn't realized, that was me subtly asking you to get out of my room."

"Oh, I realized. It's just so much nicer here than in the lobby."

Adrienne rolls her eyes, a small smile on her lips, before turning and walking towards the bathroom. "Okay, whatever. I'm going to get ready. Do what you want."

"Will do," Jeff shouts after her before flopping backwards on her bed. He smiles when he hears her muttering under her breath before slamming the bathroom door shut.

He was going to enjoy spending more time with her, especially if it meant he could see her smile more often.

* * *

"Jeff?" Adrienne calls out as she cracks the bathroom door open and pops her head out. "Jeff!"

"What?" Jeff calls back from his position on her bed. He hadn't moved since she entered the bathroom, he had opted to stare at her ceiling and think instead.

Adrienne sighs in frustration and then states, "You have to close your eyes."

"Why?"

She can hear the curiosity in his voice and Adrienne blushes furiously as she grits out, "I forgot to take in my clothes. I'm standing in a towel."

A grin slowly spreads on Jeff's face. "Come on out, Adrienne. We haven't got all day."

"Jeff!"

"It's not like you're naked."

Adrienne narrows her eyes at his common sense. "Close your eyes."

Jeff sighs and does as she wishes. "Okay, done," he calls and when he hears the bathroom door creak open and then close, he starts to speak again, knowing she was probably somewhere close to him. "You know, you're lucky I'm a gentleman. Some guys, they wouldn't even close their eyes. They'd just watch, you know, free show and all."

Adrienne rolls her eyes when she notices the smile on his face. "Lucky me," she says sarcastically before unzipping her suitcase. Quickly picking up the necessary garments, Adrienne zips up the suitcase and then turns and rushes back to the bathroom. Despite his eyes being closed, Adrienne doesn't trust Jeff enough to get dressed in front of him.

Once she's dressed, Adrienne comes out of the bathroom to find Jeff lying on her bed, his eyes still closed. For a moment she wonders if he's asleep, but then she jumps when he speaks, his deep voice loud in the quiet room. "Are you decent, Adrienne?"

"Yes."

"Good," Jeff murmurs and then opens his eyes. He then sits up on the bed and looks at her, taking in her outfit. Dressed in skinny jeans and a grey T-Shirt, Jeff smiles at how good she looks in simple, regular clothing. "Come on," he says as he gets off her bed and goes to pick up her suitcase. When Adrienne starts to protest, Jeff shakes his head. "Didn't I just say I'm a gentleman?"

"Could have been a lie for all I know," Adrienne counters.

Jeff laughs and shakes his head at her. "Trust me, Adrienne. I don't lie." He walks past her and opens the door, before looking back at her. "Come on," he urges. "We don't want to be late."

"Jeff, it's five in the morning. We aren't going to be late."

"Come on," he says again before walking out of the door.

Adrienne rolls her eyes and looks around the room briefly, checking that she has everything. She's just about to walk towards the door when she hears Jeff call out for her to hurry up. Adrienne narrows her eyes and throws her hands up in the air. "I'm coming!" She growls.

It was too damn early in the morning and she was not looking forward to spending more time with Punk.

* * *

It didn't take long for the group to assemble in the lobby. Adrienne watches as Jeff and Maria talk energetically and slowly, her attention drifts to Punk. He's standing between Jeff and Maria, clearly not paying attention as his eyes drift in between the two people. Despite the urge to move closer and join in on their conversation, Adrienne keeps her distant, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to look Punk in the eye for the next couple of days.

She knows it was wrong, but last night she dreamt of him. With her back against the door, her mind had taken her to a place where she had been happy. If she closed her eyes now, Adrienne would still be able to see the images. Punk laughing, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, her face resting against his neck, her teeth playfully nipping into his skin. She had woken up during the night and for at least an hour, refused to go back to sleep. She didn't want to risk dreaming of him. But, she had eventually fallen asleep again, and this time the dream was different. She was back there, him standing across the room from her, shouting at her, blaming her. His eyes were hard and her own were filled with tears of anger and regret.

"Aren't you going to join them?"

Adrienne snaps out of her thoughts and turns to see a man standing next to her. She looks at him, immediately noticing the blond and black hair and tattoos that marked part of his neck. Her eyes flutter over him, and then she turns back to look at the three in front of her. "What's it to you?"

"Looks like you want to talk to them, but you're holding back. It's as if you're afraid."

Adrienne rolls her eyes. "Is that so, Freud?"

The man smirks and turns to face her, his hand offered to her. "It's Shannon, actually."

Adrienne looks down at his hand and then sighs. She takes his hand in hers and shakes it firmly before turning around again to look at Jeff, Maria and Punk. "It's nice to meet you."

"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"

"Is it really necessary?"

"I'd like to think it is since I'm planning on getting to know you better."

Adrienne laughs at his answer and turns her head to look at him. "You really think you're smooth, don't you?"

Shannon grins at her, and shrugs. "I've been told."

"Hey, Shannon!"

The pair turns to see Jeff walking up to them, Maria and Punk trailing slightly behind. Jeff grins at Shannon and hugs him slightly before looking at Adrienne. "He was bustin' out his game on you, wasn't he?"

Adrienne laughs and Shannon interrupts, slightly annoyed. "Hey, I was doing no such thing. I was just talking to her."

Jeff eyes his best friend doubtfully. "Sure you were." He then turns to Adrienne, "He was failing, right?"

"Oh yeah," Adrienne nods. "Epically."

Everyone laughs, with the exception of Punk, who was only watching the scene intently.

Shannon shakes his head and smiles. "If you just gave me more time…"

"You couldn't even get my name," Adrienne says. "Deal with it, you were failing."

"If you had co-operated…"

"No," Adrienne replies. "Even then it wouldn't have worked."

"Come on, how could you deny this?" He asks, indicating his hand towards his body.

"Evidently, the answer to that is quite easily."

Jeff laughs and shakes his head at the two. "Come on, guys. We better get to the airport."

Shannon nods and then looks at Adrienne. "Do you need a ride there?"

"I already invited her along," Jeff informs him. "Where'd you park?"

"Right out front," he says before turning towards Adrienne. "Since I'm gonna be driving you to the airport, will you tell me your name?"

"No."

"Oh come on," Shannon coaxes as he follows her and Jeff out of the building. He watches as Jeff takes her suitcase and loads it into the back of the car. "Tell me."

Adrienne shakes her head and then looks up at Jeff. "I gotta return my rental."

Jeff nods, "Hotel's rental?" When Adrienne nods, he holds out his hand. "Gimme the keys, I'll go back and hand it in."

Adrienne smiles and hands over the keys. "Thanks, Jeff," she says, her voice soft.

"No problem," he replies, his smile and voice mirroring hers.

As soon as Jeff is back in the building, Shannon appears by Adrienne's side. "Rebecca?"

Adrienne smirks. "No."

"Amy?"

"Guess again."

"Ashley?"

Adrienne laughs and turns to get into the car. Once she's inside, she turns to the side and smiles at Maria, who was sitting in between her and Punk. Adrienne hears the front door slam and soon enough, Shannon has stuck his head in between the two front seats to stare at her. His eyes narrow and then he says slowly, "Tracy?"

Adrienne grins at him. "Close."

Shannon's eyes light up. "Really?"

"No."

When Shannon groans and pulls away, Adrienne and Maria laugh loudly. Maria turns to Adrienne and whispers, "Why don't you just tell him?"

Adrienne shrugs. "I like teasing people."

When Punk grunts, Adrienne leans forward to look at him. He was huddled in the corner, staring out the window, his expression dark. It didn't take a genius to realize he was annoyed over something, and since she knows him so well, Adrienne instantly understands that he was acting this way due to her interaction with Shannon. He always hated it when she teased guys, he would always tell her that they took it as flirting. Initially, Adrienne never cared because she believed everyone was allowed to believe what they wanted; it wasn't going to stop her from doing what she did. But now, it hits a nerve in Adrienne. Maybe she shouldn't tease, but Punk shouldn't care. They weren't friends anymore.

"Got something to say, Punk?" Adrienne asks innocently, but her voice has a definite force behind it.

"No," he mutters, not bothering to look her way.

Before Adrienne has a chance to respond, Maria places her hand on Adrienne's arm. She leans into Adrienne, and quietly says, "Don't worry about him. He woke up in a mood." Her voice quickly changes, her concern evident. "He's been acting strange ever since his walk last night. I don't know what's up with him, but I wouldn't take his attitude personally."

Adrienne nods and decides not to say anymore. She turns to look out her window and sees Jeff jogging towards the car. He jumps into the car and the vehicle bounces slightly. Turning to look at everyone, Jeff says happily, "Ready to go, everyone?"

"Yeah," Maria replies, her voice reflecting Jeff's energy. "Let's go!"

"You two have way too much energy," Shannon mutters as he turns on the engine and flips on his indicator. Slowly maneuvering away from the curb, he heads towards the exit before saying, "Julie?"

Adrienne laughs. "Just let it go, Shannon."

He shakes his head. "I can't, man. It's gonna piss me off until someone tells me. Crystal?"

Adrienne shakes her head. "Are you just naming all the women you've slept with?"

Jeff laughs. "Man, she ain't gonna tell you."

"Then you tell me."

"Jeff, don't," Adrienne says. "Let him suffer."

"Why do I have to suffer?" Shannon asks as he heads onto the highway. "I'm giving you a lift; you could at least tell me your name."

"The only reason you wanted to know my name in the first place was because you were trying to come on to me. I didn't tell you then and I'm not going to tell you now," Adrienne replies defiantly. "And you should just stop now, because I'm probably the most stubborn person you're ever gonna meet so there's no way you're getting it outta me."

There's silence and it stretches on for a while before Shannon says, "Lucy?"

"Her name's Adrienne Haidar. There. Now can you two please shut the fuck up?"

Shannon let out a low whistle. "What's gotten into you, Punk?"

Maria turns to look at her boyfriend, a small frown marring her features. "Yeah," she says, keeping her voice low as she reaches out to touch his arm lightly. "What's wrong, babe?"

Punk stiffens but sighs. "Nothing," he grumbles. "I just didn't get much sleep. Sorry."

Shannon murmurs his understanding and flips on the radio, allowing soft country music to fill the silence. As the two men in the front begin to argue over what station to stay on, Maria continues to look at Punk, her hand gently rubbing up and down his arm. Adrienne watches as the pair talk softly to each other, and Adrienne has to turn away from the scene.

Her gut twists into knots and she tries to force their image out of her mind, but everything comes rushing before her eyes. The scenes were fragmented and distorted, flashes of Maria and Punk holding hands, sitting close, memories of her hugging Punk, moving against him, laughing with him. It was becoming too much to handle and Adrienne lets out a small sigh. It was useless, no matter how hard she tried to ignore him, her, them, what they had–it would always be there, hiding behind her eyes, in the darkness, at the back of her mind.

She couldn't escape it, and so Adrienne slowly closes her eyes, her head leaning against the window and welcomes the flashing images once again.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, I hope people enjoyed this. Feedback would be nice (:**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thanks to all the people who read this and to those of you who reviewed, it means a lot to me, thank you so much (: Sorry if there's any mistakes in the Tagalog I used in this chapter, I can't remember any from my childhood so I took it off Wikipedia, which isn't the most reliable site, I know. If you do speak Tagalog, and it is incorrect, please let me know and I'll edit this chapter. I do know however that the Malay is correct since I can at least speak that language (:

Oh, and before I forget, sorry to those of you who like Batista. The Batista bashing in this chapter was unintentional! It just came out this way...Blame Adrienne! (: Anyway, let me know what you thought in a review, please (:

* * *

"Alright guys, last stop," Shannon calls, turning around to look at the backseat passengers. He grins at Adrienne, who has fallen asleep against the car window. "Adrienne," he says, his voice teasing. "Oh, Adrienne…"

"Go away," Adrienne mumbles, refusing to open her eyes.

Shannon turns back to sit in his seat and looks over at Jeff. "How 'bout you guys go on? I'm sure Adrienne wouldn't mind spending more time with me."

Jeff shakes his head but before he can say anything, Adrienne's voice cuts through the air. "I would mind," she mutters. Sighing, she opens her eyes and looks around the car and then narrows her eyes at Shannon's smirk. "I am so out of your league, Moore."

Shannon laughs. "Is that so?"

"Definitely." Adrienne stretches and then unbuckles her seatbelt. Without a word, she moves and opens the door, stepping out into the heat. She turns and looks down at Jeff, who's smiling as he watches her. She nods her head towards the airport entrance. "Come on, we don't want to miss our flight."

"Yeah…" Jeff waits for a moment, watching as Adrienne turns away to get her suitcase from the trunk. Jeff then turns to Shannon, a smirk on his face. "You'll never give up, will ya?"

"Probably not," Shannon laughs before exiting the car. He looks over the top of the car at Adrienne, who is now standing with her suitcase at her feet, her arms crossed over her chest. "Not really a mornin' person, are ya?"

Adrienne shakes her head and her eyes drift away, smiling at Maria as she leaves the car. She watches the woman for a moment before turning back to look at Shannon. They hold eye contact until Adrienne breaks away by rolling her eyes at the blond. "Never have been, never will. Not really one to take a hint, are ya?"

"He's like a dog with a bone."

Adrienne turns to the side to look up at Jeff. She smiles at him and when he smiles back at her, Adrienne feels a blush slowly creep up her neck. Turning away, Adrienne looks down at the ground and reaches to pick up her suitcase when her hands contact with another pair. Looking up, she sees Jeff's green eyes stare at her, his hand resting on top of hers. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Adrienne sighs. "I shouldn't even try, right?"

Jeff grins and then straightens, keeping his grip firm on the handle of Adrienne's suitcase. He looks over her shoulder, his gaze falling on Punk and Maria. It didn't take him long to pick up on Maria's worry and Punk's hostile attitude. He frowns slightly at his friend; he would have to get to the bottom of that story later. "You guys ready?"

Maria looks up at Jeff and smiles. "Yeah…" She turns to look up at Punk but after seeing his dark expression, she only sighs and turns to Shannon. "Thanks for the ride, Shannon."

"Not a problem, sweetheart."

"Yeah, thanks man," Jeff says. "Get over here," he says and when Shannon moves around the car, Jeff takes him into a one-armed hug. "Don't get into too much shit while I'm gone."

"You say that as if you don't trust me, Jeffery."

Jeff only laughs and then pushes Shannon away. "I'll talk to ya later, man."

As he begins to walk away with Maria and Punk trailing behind him, Adrienne goes to follow them but is stopped when Shannon calls out her name. When she turns back to face him, he has his hands in his pockets and is looking at her curiously. "Yes?"

"Next time Jeff comes home, I hope you'll join him."

Adrienne's eyebrows rise and she looks at him suspiciously. "What makes you think Jeff would even want me to come along?"

Shannon shrugs and avoids her gaze briefly. He then shakes his head slightly, a small smile on his lips. "I'm just sayin'…Don't say no when he asks."

"Okay…" Adrienne frowns slightly before pointing back at the airport entrance. "I gotta jet but…It was nice meeting you, Shannon."

"It was nice meetin' you, too," he says quietly, before adding on teasingly, "_Adrienne_."

Adrienne laughs and shakes her head. "I'll see you around." She turns around and walks off towards the others, a small smirk forming on her lips. Without turning around she shouts, "Stop staring at my ass!"

As she continues to walk, her smirk turns into a grin when she hears Shannon laugh and shout, "How the hell did you know that?"

* * *

Once they had boarded the flight, Adrienne found herself sitting next to the window, waiting for the rest of the passengers to find their seats. Her mind slowly drifts to thoughts of last night, Punk's face burned into her memory, when a deep voice interrupts her thoughts.

"I don't think we've met," the voice rumbles and Adrienne turns her head to look at the man. He's sitting on the end seat, a spare seat in between them. She tries not to smirk as she takes in his features, an abnormally small and shaven head that contrasted with his large figure, his muscles straining against the material of his T-Shirt. It was just her luck that she would be seated by him for the two hour flight.

Deciding that the easiest thing to do would be civil towards him, Adrienne offers him her hand. "Adrienne Haidar," she says with a smile.

He takes her smaller hand in his and gently shakes it, his fingers slowly running over her skin as he removes his hand. When he smiles at her, Adrienne instantly realizes that he thinks he is a gift to all women. Although she heard he was good in the ring, Adrienne hadn't heard much about him as a person, so as she stares at him, Adrienne realizes that Dave Batista was not only confident, but delusional too. Women found him sexy? Adrienne was finding it hard to believe.

"Dave Batista," he says, his voice smooth. "I heard there was a new Diva but no-one told me she was this beautiful."

"Well, I guess they didn't think it was that important."

"I guess so…I wish someone would have told me, though." Dave smiles and looks her in the eye, "At least then I would have been prepared."

Adrienne inwardly cringes at his line; at least when Shannon tried to flirt with her it was cute and fun to go along with, Dave however was just embarrassing himself. Attempting to change the subject, Adrienne settles into her seat and then says, "I heard you're half Filipino, Mr. Batista."

Dave nods and a slow smile spreads on his face as he studies her. "Malay?"

"You're the first one to get that right on the first guess," Adrienne smiles.

"Your surname," he says as a way of explanation. "Plus the fact you pronounced my surname correctly. Do you speak Tagalog by any chance?"

Adrienne laughs slightly, "I did spend a couple months in the Philippines when I was a child, though I can't remember much…There's this one proverb by…José Rizal, I think his name was, that my father's friend told me and it's just always stuck with me. Ang hindî marunong lumingón sa pinanggalingan ay hindî makaráratíng sa paroroonan," Adrienne says triumphantly, proud that she remembered it. She looks up at Dave, his expression showing his surprise mixed with another emotion Adrienne couldn't quite place. She tries not to laugh when she says, "Do you need a translation?"

"Definitely."

"He who does not look back to his origin will never reach his destination."

"Wow," Dave says, laughing slightly. "That's…That was pretty damn hot."

Adrienne smirks. "Do you know any Tagalog?"

"My grandfather taught me some when I was a child but…I don't remember any. It's a shame." Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Adrienne nod. "Do you still speak Malay?"

"Occasionally, but I don't really have anyone to talk to in Malay so I just stick to English. When I get frustrated I tend to cuss in Malay."

They fall silent for a moment and Adrienne watches as more people move down the aisle. Her heart quickens as she sees a blond man walk towards them, his eyes fixed on her. He smirks when he approaches them. "Hello, Adrienne," he says and then looks down at Dave. "David."

"Adam."

Adam grins and waves his hand at the empty seat in between the pair. "Mind if I sit down?" Without waiting for an answer, Adam pushes his way past Dave and sits down in his seat, his head immediately turning to look down at Adrienne. "Good morning," he says in a bright voice. "How are you on this fine morning?"

"Wonderful, thanks," Adrienne says sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. "You?"

Adam lowers his voice and leans in. "I'd be better if I wasn't sitting next to _that_."

Adrienne smirks and says in a stage whisper, "I feel the same."

"You know, I can hear you," Dave says, looking at the pair. He shakes his head and picks up the newspaper from where he had tucked it into the side of his chair when he sat down. Opening the paper, he shakes his head and mutters, "Can never let me talk to anyone, can they?"

"What was that, big guy?" Adam asks as he turns to flash Dave a grin. "Did I mess up your plan? Were you just about to make a _move _on her?"

"Never mind, kid," Dave grunts.

Adam was about to reply when Adrienne interrupted him. "Leave it. Talk to me instead."

Adam looked down at the shy smile on Adrienne's face and he nodded, leaning back in his chair, clearly satisfied. "You got it, Adrienne."

Adrienne has to bite back the small groan when Adam looks at her with dark eyes and an incredibly attractive smirk. Suddenly, she was glad she was fully awake now. Although she hated early morning flights, she knew that sitting next to Adam made it worth it.

* * *

By the time they arrived in Roanoke, Adrienne and Adam had talked about everything from her time in Japan to his love for the New Jersey Devils. When they had passed all the security checks, it didn't take them long to find Jay, Jeff and Punk standing in a huddle with their bags waiting for Adam. Adrienne quickly scanned the open area for Maria or Eve but couldn't see them anywhere.

"The girls have already gone."

Adrienne looks up at Jay and smiles slightly. "Oh…"

"You can ride with us, if you want."

"She doesn't have much choice," Jeff pipes in, smiling at Adrienne. He holds out his hand. "Need a hand?"

"I am capable, you know," Adrienne mutters, rolling her eyes. Gripping her suitcase tighter in one hand and resting her other hand on her hip, Adrienne looks at the group of men expectantly. "Okay, so who has the car?"

Jay holds up the keys and Adrienne nods, her eyes drifting to the others. "Directions?"

Jeff reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. "Got it."

"Okay, let's not waste time." As Adrienne walks off, she stops half way to the exit, realizing that no-one was following her. She turns around and narrows her eyes. "Why are you just standing there?"

Adam is the first to speak, a smirk firmly placed on his face. "We were just in shock from you taking charge." When he gets closer to her, he leans down and murmurs, "I love a woman in control."

Immediately Adrienne burns bright red and glares at Adam as he walks out of the airport. She glances back at the other men, picking up on Jeff's frown, Punk's pissed off gaze and Jay's indifference. "Come on," she mutters, annoyed that the others heard his comment. She glares at the back of Adam's head, hoping that he would trip over and fall on his perfect face. As if he could hear her silent threats, Adam looks over his shoulder and grins at Adrienne, causing her to frown and mutter, "_Koneksi_."

Adrienne was sure today was going to be a _very_ long day.

* * *

Thanks for reading, I hope everyone enjoyed this (:

I'm going to say sorry again for the Batista bashing, though seriously, how can anyone not notice his abnormally small head? It's totally out of proportion to his shoulders! Anyway, for those who were wondering koneksi means d**k. Fill in the blanks, I'm sure you'll get it (; Now, as always, I'd love to hear what people thought so drop me a review (: Thanks again for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anyone or anything. I only own Adrienne, and anyone else you don't recognize.

**A/N:** Thanks to all the people who read this (: For those of you who are actually following this, I'm sorry for the delayed update. I forgot where this was going for a while, but I'm back on track. I hope people enjoy this and let me know what you thought in a review, please (:

* * *

The car ride to the hotel had been filled with pointless conversation and Jeff constantly flipping radio stations. Adrienne had been amused by his inability of sticking to something for too long. When she had pointed this out to him, his only comment was, 'Why should I be confined to the austerity of one wave?'

Now that Adrienne is surrounded by the calmness of the empty elevator, she leans back against the wall, watching as the numbers light up, and her mind drifts to the enigma that was Jeff Hardy. Since her first day he had been welcoming and honest. There was nothing simple about Jeff; he was a mix of serenity, energy, curiosity and knowledge. He was walking, talking oxymoron and Adrienne smiles at the thought. It summed him up pretty well and as the doors of the elevator slides open, Adrienne finds herself wanting to know more about him. What other contradictions did he represent?

Walking down the hallway, Adrienne's eyes flutter over the various numbers until she stops in front of her room. Opening the door with her key she enters the medium sized room with two beds to find that someone was already sitting on one of the beds. The woman has her back to Adrienne so first Adrienne moves further into the room and carefully shuts the door behind her. She glances at the woman again and frowns when she notices her red hair and fingerless gloves. Adrienne tries to hold back her groan as she walks up to the woman and taps her on her shoulder.

Jumping, Maria turns around to see Adrienne looking down at her. "Oh!" Quickly pulling out her headphones, Maria apologizes. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in! Are we rooming together?"

"Looks like it," Adrienne says and then she waves her hand at the loud techno beat pumping out of Maria's small headphones. "What were you listening to?"

"Propane Nightmares. Do you like Pendulum?"

Adrienne shrugs and sits down on her bed. "They're alright. I like near enough anything, though I wouldn't have put you down as a fan."

Maria grins as she turns off her iPod. "That's what everyone says." Maria opens her mouth to continue talking when the shrill ringing of her cell stops her. She frowns and tries to place where the sound is coming from. "Can you see it anywhere?"

Adrienne smiles and points to Maria's suitcase which was sitting on the bed. "I think it's under that."

Reaching underneath the suitcase, Maria pulls out her small cell and flips it open. "Hello?" A grin immediately breaks out on her face. "Feeling better now?"

Adrienne looks away from Maria and settles herself against her headboard, trying not to care that Maria was clearly talking to Punk. It was going to be hard being friends with Punk's girlfriend but Adrienne tells herself that it shouldn't bother her. There was nothing between her and Punk, they weren't even friends. When they were in a group setting, they would at least be civil towards each other but other than that, Adrienne had no place in interfering. She could handle being friends with Maria, or at least that is what she keeps telling herself.

The sound of Maria addressing her snaps Adrienne out of her thoughts. Looking up at the other woman, Adrienne frowns. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"That was Punk asking if we wanted to have lunch with the guys," Maria informs her as she gets off her bed and picks up her jacket. "They're in the hotel's restaurant, d'you want to come along?"

Adrienne is hesitant for a moment but then decides that Punk shouldn't stop her from making new friends. She was going to be in this company for hopefully a long time, and so they would need to learn to coexist with each other. Adrienne gets up from her bed and tries to smile. "Yeah, I'd like that. Thanks."

Maria smiles at Adrienne and then says softly, "I hope you know that I'd like us to be friends, Adrienne."

"I, er…" Adrienne breaks off before she nods her head, a small smile on her face. "I'd like that too, Maria."

"Great," Maria grins and walks to the door. When Maria leaves the room, Adrienne sighs and tells herself that she could do this, Maria was a nice person and there was no reason for her not to like her.

Except for that fact she was seeing Punk.

Adrienne groans at her own thoughts, it was as if she had no control over them. But now she was going to go downstairs and have lunch with a group of people who had been nothing but welcoming and nice to her. She was going to once again forget about Punk.

He wasn't important to her. Not anymore.

* * *

Once at the restaurant, it didn't take long for Adrienne and Maria to spot Punk and Jeff sitting in a corner booth. As they approach them, the differences between the two men immediately strike Adrienne. Punk is sitting up straight in the booth, his hands clenched at his sides. His stance is controlled and serious, which contrasts with his bright yellow T-Shirt and blue beanie. Adrienne tilts her head when she notices that Jeff is the opposite of Punk. Although his clothing was dark, with the exception of his red and purple hair of course, his body language was open and welcoming.

Adrienne wonders why Punk seemed so closed off all the time. A small voice in her head reminds her that he wasn't always like that, and that maybe, just maybe, it was her who changed him. Maybe he was like this because of her, because of his past with her…Or maybe because she came back.

If she wasn't here, maybe he wouldn't be so tense all the time. Maybe then he could breathe again and maybe–

"Adrienne?"

Her eyes snap up to Jeff's and Adrienne frowns. "Sorry, what?"

"You zoned out," Jeff says, his amusement showing in his voice. He taps the seat next to him, "Sit down."

"Oh, sorry," Adrienne mumbles as she sits down next to Jeff. Adrienne looks down at the table and attempts to read the menu, trying to ignore the feel of Punk's gaze.

"Adrienne?"

Adrienne continues to look at the menu as she answers, "Yes, Jeffery?"

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm? I'm fine."

"You're staring at that menu quite seriously."

"Well, deciding what to eat is a very serious decision. It deserves my full attention."

Adrienne expected Jeff to laugh at her but when he told her that he thought she was correct, Adrienne looked up to see Jeff pull open his own menu and stare at it. Adrienne smirks slightly, "Is that your concentration face, Jeffery?"

Jeff nods slowly as he continues to frown at the menu. "Yes, it is." A smirk forms on his lips, and he turns to look at her. "Do you like it?"

Adrienne laughs. "Well, it's very nice. Not the best, but acceptable."

"Acceptable?"

Adrienne shrugs and looks at Maria, who is sitting opposite her, when she says, "I've seen better."

Jeff laughs and Adrienne feels the small hairs on the back of her neck stand at the sound of his deep, husky laugh. She tries not to bite her lip when he asks, "Are we talkin' about my concentration face or…"

Before Adrienne has the chance to answer, Punk clears his throat and asks, "Are we going to order?"

Adrienne takes a quick glance at Jeff and notices how his expression turns serious briefly before he smiles easily at Punk. "Sure," he says and then turns to look at his menu. "Ah," he murmurs when he notices something. Jeff looks up at Punk and Maria and then teasingly says, "Buffet lunch anyone?"

Immediately, Punk scoffs but Maria grins at Jeff. "Ohh, I like that idea." She then rolls her eyes when Punk mutters something under his breath. "Honey, just because you think it's the root of all evil–"

"It's encouraging people to gain weight!"

"You know Punk, that's an irrational belief you have," Jeff says as he rests his forearms on the table and leans forward. He studies the other man for a moment before shaking his head. "Just because you feel the need to be controlled–"

"Shut up, Jeff," Punk interrupts harshly. "You and Maria go get your food. I'm not hungry."

Maria sighs and squeezes Punk's hand. "Phil…"

"Just go, Maria." Punk says as he continues to stare at Jeff. He can feel the annoyance flare through his body as Jeff looked at him thoughtfully. Punk always hated it when Jeff tried to figure him out. It was all bullshit, but Jeff would continue to try.

Snapping his gaze away from Jeff, he looked down at Maria. He softened instantly and sighed before bringing his lips down to hers. "I'm sorry," he murmurs, knowing that she hated it when he was angry. "I'm just having a bad day."

"I know," Maria says quietly as she runs a hand down his cheek. "I'm sorry. I'll cheer you up later…"

Punk smiles gently and kisses her again. "I'd like that."

"Okay, if you two are done, we better go get some food."

"Mmm," Maria hums before quickly placing another kiss on Punk's lips. "Okay…"

Jeff rolls his eyes as the couple continues to kiss. He looks down at Adrienne and notices her face was paler than usual. "Hey," he says softly. Startled, Adrienne looks at him with wide eyes and this causes Jeff's concern to increase. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I, er…Yes." Adrienne shakes her head and laughs nervously. She looks down and begins to scratch at her tattooed wrist. "I'm fine. Sorry. I-I guess…I feel a bit ill."

"Maybe you should eat something…"

"Oh no," Adrienne shakes her head. After seeing Maria and Punk kiss, she knew if she ate anything, it wouldn't stay in her stomach. "I'm…Maybe I should go lie down," Adrienne says quietly and her nails dig deeper in her skin when she hears Maria giggle softly.

Jeff looks at Adrienne for a moment and then his gaze latches on to her wrists. For the first time he notices the ink staining her skin but that wasn't what he was focusing on. His eyes narrow when he notices the red marks on her pale skin. "Adrienne…" Jeff starts, unsure of how to make her stop before she cuts herself.

Looking up at him, Adrienne stops scratching and tries to smile at him. "Yes, Jeffery?"

His eyes meet hers and he wants to say something, anything, but words fail him. The look she is giving him, her eyes wide and clear, silently telling him not to say anything, to leave her alone and not to question her, Jeff has to listen to her, even though she never spoke the words. He sighs and turns away from her, trying to ignore the pull on his heart. "Maria," Jeff says, causing Maria to pull away from Punk's kiss. "Come on, let's get some food."

"Oh yeah, sure!" Maria kisses Punk again and then carefully slides out of the booth. She looks at Adrienne and then frowns slightly, "Hey, don't you want anything?"

Adrienne raises her hand, "Er, no. I don't feel so good. I don't think food will help."

"Oh…Well you can always take something off my plate if you want."

Adrienne smiles slightly. "Thanks, Maria."

"Er, Adrienne…"

Turning around, Adrienne looks up at Jeff and when she notices that he wants to leave the booth, she blushes before quickly scrambling out to give him room. "Oh, sorry," she says quietly.

Jeff laughs and moves out of the booth, his arm gently brushing against hers as he moved around her to stand by Maria. Adrienne clears her throat slightly, embarrassed that she is immediately affected by his touch, however little it had been. She steals a glance at Jeff and their eyes meet, his eyes appearing darker than usual as he stares intently at her. Suddenly, a wave of nerves hit Adrienne again and she has to avert her eyes and slowly slip back into the booth before her knees give out below her.

Once Maria and Jeff had moved across the large restaurant to stand before the buffet table, Adrienne glances up at Punk, who has his eyes fixed on the table. She swallows nervously and tries to say something, anything that would make this situation bearable, but the words don't come to her and so Adrienne has to settle for staring at him.

A few moments pass between them before, to the surprise of Adrienne, Punk's deep voice floats between them. "You don't look sick."

The way he says it, so impersonal and cold, Adrienne feels a wave of sadness hit her despite the fact she wasn't supposed to care. She sighs softly before replying, "I'm just not hungry, okay?"

"Whatever," Punk mutters in response, his attitude showing through once again.

The silence stretches between them again and Adrienne feels the annoyance rise inside her. Despite the years that had gone by, there was no doubt that Adrienne still knew Punk. This attitude he was showing, it wasn't like him. In the past, if he was given the chance to talk, the attitude would slip away and he would say what is on his mind. Adrienne wonders briefly if it would still work. She's too afraid to try.

But then, another thought enters her mind: she isn't afraid of anything. Well, that isn't entirely true, but in this case, Adrienne knows she isn't afraid of Punk. Maybe if she talked to him, if she was calm and civil and showed that she was willing to be nice to him, then he would stop acting this way. After all, they needed to control themselves – they would be working together for what should be a very long time.

Taking a deep breath, Adrienne begins to speak quietly, "You've been angry all day." She doesn't look at him when she says, "It's not like you."

"And how are you meant to know that, Adrienne?" Punk asks, his voice taunting. "We're not friends. I thought we didn't know each other."

Adrienne sighs; well she knew this wouldn't be easy. "Don't be like this…"

"Like what?" Punk interrupts with an unexpected snarl. "We only just met, Adrienne. For all you know, this is how I always act."

"Oh, cut the bullshit, Punk," Adrienne snaps. She rests her forearms on the table and leans forward, keeping her voice down to a harsh whisper, "Despite trying to forget everything about you, I still know that this is not the way you usually act. I know you're in this mood because of what I said last night."

His eyes narrow and burn into her skin. "You think you're right, don't you?" He scoffs and turns his head to look at Maria. He watches as she talks animatedly with Jeff and he bits out, "You throw yourself at anyone, Adrienne, y'know that? It doesn't matter who they are. You just leap at the chance. Something's just don't change, do they?"

Initially, it feels as if Adrienne has been slapped but then, the red hot rage flares behind her eyes and Adrienne grits out, "Excuse me?"

"Shannon."

Adrienne scoffs at the ridiculousness of the situation. Is he being serious with her? "Please, it's called _talking_ to someone. I was not throwing myself at him and I cannot believe you would even suggest that. You have no right to act this way and you know that."

Although he knows he is in the wrong, Punk seems to lose control of his own mouth when he adds, "It's pathetic, Adrienne."

"And it's also none of your Goddamn business, Punk," Adrienne says, trying to keep her voice from shrieking. "God, this is so wrong. Even if I was 'throwing' myself at Shannon, then what the hell is it to you? It's not like you and I–"

Before she can continue, Punk shakes his head and looks at her, his eyes giving away nothing as he calmly says, "Jeff."

"What about him?" Adrienne asks, attempting to appear nonchalant but there is a slight blush tinting her pale cheeks and immediately Punk knows he has caught her out.

"Stay away from him."

It escapes his mouth before he can stop himself and Punk silently curses when he sees Adrienne's jaw clench and her eyes narrow. Suddenly she glares at him, her lips curled up into a snarl. "What did you just say?"

Punk sighs and looks away, opting to stare at the table instead. "Never mind," he mutters.

"No. Tell me what you meant by that."

"I said never mind."

"And I don't give a damn what you said, you're gonna tell me what you meant." When he doesn't reply, Adrienne lets out a frustrated groan. "Punk."

He sighs before quietly saying, "I'm…We're good friends, and I see the way he looks at you, Addie. Yeah, he's nice and all but I know how he works and…" Punk breaks off and sighs. He shouldn't be saying this, and although he knows this, the words escape him before he has the chance to rationalize the situation. "And I don't like it. I don't want him looking at you. Not like that. Not you."

His admission causes Adrienne's heart to sink and she closes her eyes before taking deep breaths to calm her rapid heartbeat. This was so screwed up. Adrienne hadn't even noticed Jeff looking at her in any particular way, but then she had to admit, Punk knew him better than she did. Maybe there had been signs and she was just too oblivious to notice anything. But that didn't matter. What mattered now was Punk's reaction. He had no right to say this to her.

Taking another deep breath, Adrienne opens her eyes and says quietly, "Why are you doing this? Why do you have to do this to me?"

"I…I don't know," he replies, his voice and confusion mirroring hers. "I just…One part of me doesn't want anything to do with you and the other…the other part of me wants to–"

"Don't," Adrienne says suddenly, her voice slightly raised. She groans slightly and then shakes her head. "It…It doesn't matter if you like it or not," she says quietly, referring to what he said about Jeff. It was safer to talk about that rather than dwell on what Punk was about to say.

Adrienne shuffles nervously in her seat and decides to stare at the table instead of Punk. "If…If Jeff is…" Adrienne sighs and begins to scratch at the inside of her wrist nervously. "I'm not throwing myself at him. Although you may think I throw myself at any man I see, I'm not like that. I'm not. And…and I don't think he is throwing himself at me either. He's…He's just being nice. Nothing more and nothing less. We're allowed to be friends. We're being friendly. But…The point is that it doesn't matter what you think, Punk. You can't…You can't say these things to me anymore because it isn't right and it isn't fair."

Finally, Adrienne looks up at Punk and she tries to keep her face from showing any emotion as she says softly, but clearly, "You haven't got a say anymore."

He stares at her, his eyes intense and Adrienne feels a familiar tug at the bottom of her stomach. She used to love the way his expression would deepen and his eyes would spark with fire and intensity. Slowly, his eyes trail over her and Adrienne can feel her breathing becoming more difficult and her heart speeding up as the sudden urge to touch him takes over.

But then he speaks, and the illusion breaks.

"Because we're not friends, are we?"

His voice is low and calm and despite everything she had been telling herself, it hurts to hear him say the words. They weren't friends. They were nothing, except colleagues. She berates herself for getting caught up in his stare.

Although she was freaking out silently, Adrienne calmly replies, "We're not friends."

Before Adrienne has the chance to continue, two plates crash down onto the table and the noise causes both Punk and Adrienne to look up. Jeff grins down at the pair before asking cheerfully, "Have fun without us?"

"Sure," Punk says immediately, and it is only Adrienne that picks up on the sarcasm behind his statement. He stares at Adrienne when he says, "Adrienne's great company."

"That's good," Maria says happily, completely oblivious to the looks Punk is sending Adrienne.

Suddenly, heat rushes to Adrienne's cheeks and a feeling of claustrophobia takes over. She shouldn't be here, she thinks as she looks away from Punk. She shouldn't be sitting here in front of the world's biggest mind-fuck. Quickly, Adrienne turns to her side and taps Jeff on the shoulder. "Er, Jeff? Could…could you move please? I'd, er, I need to get out of the booth."

Looking down at her, Jeff instantly notices her flushed face and he frowns in concern. "Hey, are you okay? You look–"

Adrienne nods her head frantically. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Faster than lightning, Jeff is up and holding his hand out for Adrienne to take. "Here, I'll take you to the–"

"Er, no, no," Adrienne says in a hurry. She doesn't bother glancing back at Punk because she knows if she looks at him again, she really will be sick. "I-I just need to get outta here."

Without another word, Adrienne dodges around Jeff and nearly sprints to the exit. Once outside, she leans against the door, trying to regain her breath. She groans loudly as she raises a hand to her forehead and is nearly burnt by the heat.

In that moment, there was only one thing Adrienne was sure of: she fucking _hated_ CM Punk.


End file.
